Shoe rack



me 1%@ .3. R. LENTZ .SHOE RACK Filed March 25, 1938 INVENTOR. or: 67a BYATTORNEY.

I Patented 1940:v v

' ances.

UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE RACK l John R. Lentz, Philadelphia,Pa.-

Application March 25, 1938, Serial No. 197,982

1 Claim.

' The present invention relates to shoe racks and has'for one of vitsmain objects the provision of a shoe supporting ldevice having asimplified construction and capable of being easily and readilymanufactured, thus materially reducing the cost thereof and enhancingits saleable and commercial possibilities.

Another important object of the invention re sides in the provision of ashoe rack which, because of its particular construction, will. requirebut little space when mounted in position, and which may be arranged inalmost any available location, thus rendering its uses practicallyunlimited.

It is also a desirable feature of the invention to providea shoe rackcapable of being conveniently mounted in confined spaces as, forinstance, upon the inner side of closet doors, Wardrobe cabinet doors,and the like.

In addition to the foregoing meritorius features of my improved shoerack, the invention is characterized still further by the fact that itsformation renders the same adaptable for supporting one or more shoes invertical, horizontal, or angular position and so, not only may it bemounted upon closet or similar doors, but also may be hung from theunderside of shelves or similar contriv-f Other important objectsandadvantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointedout hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art, I have, in theaccompanyingdrawing and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out apossible embodiment of the invention. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective of one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in face elevation of the supporting endportion of the shoe rack.

Having more particular reference to the draw-V ing, wherein likecharactersof reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, Ihave represented in Figure 1 one form of the invention, according towhich the improved shoe rack is made of a single length of wirel l,preferably of circular cross-sectional configuration and given the`general formation shown.

As illustrated, the device comprises opposite end portions 2 and 3respectively, and an intermediate portion 4. 'Irhe extremities of theopposite `end portions 2 and 3 are bent upon them- (ci. 211-35) `selvesat angles of approximately 45 to provide paralleling generally I..shaped extensions 5 and 6, said extensions terminating with means forsecuring the rack to a supporting surface in the manner to behereinafter specified.

The Wire section of the intermediate portion 4 5 is bent at sharp anglesat different points along the length thereof to form a plurality ofrelatively spaced inverted V shaped projections 1, separated from oneanother by straight wire portions 8. The projections 'l are so disposedas to extend on a rearwardly inclined plane, that is, in a directiontowards the securing extremities of the L shaped extensions 5 and 6.

In Figure 2 of the drawing, there is represented w a modified form ofthe invention. According to this modified form, the device is alsoconstructed from a single length of wire la, the intermediate portion 4aof which is bent and curved to pro-- vide a series of adjacent alignedsemi-circular or U shaped elements la forming side and front shoeengaging sections. The opposite end portions 2a and 3 a of the wire arebent at right angles to extend in a, direction right angularly opposedto that in which the sections 1a. project. Moreover, as will clearlyappear from Figure 2,

' the end portions 2a and 4a are bent so that the free extremitiesthereof extend to a point out of lalignment with respect to the shoeretaining elements la..

The free extremity of each of the L shaped extensions 5 and 6 (Figure 1)and of each of the end portions 2a` and 3a (Figure 2) are preferablyflattened as at 9 and punctured as at i0 in the manner more clearlyshown in Figure 3, whereby to provide means 'adapted to receive suitablefastening elements, such as screws, nails, or the like,

rfor the purpose of securing the rack to a supporting surface.

In practice, when manufacturing the forms of the invention illustratedin Figures 1 and 2, I prefer to utilize strong steel wire and Work thewire into the respective shapes shown and described in suitable wellknown wire bending machines provided With appropriate dies.

In using the type of shoe rack illustrated in Figure 1, said rack isaffixed, as hereinbefore stated, to a convenient supporting surface sothat the inverted V shaped projections 1 extend upwardly and rearwardly,that is, towards the sup- 50 porting surface. Shoes may then be engagedupon said projections 'l by so positioning the shoe, as shown at S or atSa, that the corresponding projection 1 will enter into the shoe whichthen rests upon the adjacent straight portions 8 of the 55 rack. Byslightly pulling the shoe downward, the projection, because of itsinclined position. will snugly engage the inner face of the shoe instep,thus positively assuring the retention of the shoe on the rack.

In using the type of shoe rack shown in Figure 2, the rack is afiixed tothe supporting surface in the manner already described so that the Ushaped portions thereof extend outwardly or away from said surface. Ashoe S' may then be slipped into engagement with one of said U shapedelements 1a by introducing therein the toe of the shoe, the heel andsole thereof being positioned to face the supporting surface. In thatmanner, it will be appreciated that the shoe will become wedged betweenthe encircling portion of the wire and the supporting surface, therebypositively retaining the shoe on the rack. Because the end portions 2aand 3a are bent so that the free extremities thereof extend out ofalignment with respect to said U-shaped shoe retaining elements la, andare attached to the supporting surface at said extended extremities, itwill be understood that the sections a engaging the sides and fronts ofthe shoes resiliently urge the heels and soles thereof into engagementwith said surface rfor positive retention of the shoes by the rackagainst said surface. In other words, since the rack is attached to thesupporting surface at the free extremities of the end portions 2a and3a, and said extremities are out of alignment with respect to theintermediate portion a of the rack, said intermediate portion is capableof a certain amount of spring action, with the result that the shoeretaining elements la of said intermediate portion function toresiliently force the engaged shoes against the supporting surface and.accordingly, assure the propei retention of the shoes.

In concluding, it is pointed out that, although I have shown anddescribed certain possible embodiments of the invention, additionalmodifications may be made without departing from the gist thereof.Accordingly, any modifications coming within the scope of the subjoinedclaim are to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

A shoe rack consisting of a single length of wire forming anintermediate portion and two end portions: said intermediate portionbeing bent and shaped to provide a series of aligned shoe retainingelements, each having a pair of diametrically opposed lateral shoe sideengaging sections, and a forward shoe front engaging section contiguouswith said lateral sections; and each of said end portions being bent sothat the free extremity thereof extends to a point out of alignment withrespect to the shoe retaining elements, said extended free extremity ofeach end portion having means for attaching the rack onto a supportingsurface to support the shoe retaining elements outwardly and away fromsaid surface at substantially right angles thereto whereby said pair oflateral sections and forward section of a shoe retaining element mayrelatively engage the sides and front of a shoe and thereby resilientlyurge the bottom of the shoe into engagement with said surface for thepositive retention of the shoe by the rack against said surface.

JOHN R. LENTZ.

